Animal Packer (Fire Support)

Full Job Description

This position is located on a Region 5 Forest Service Ranger District. This position is responsible for packing supplies and equipment to backcountry locations by horse or mule.

This position is also responsible for the complete care of the stock and ranch and pasture management.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Brian Grabowski at brian.grabowski@usda.gov or Deirde Cherry at deirde.cherry@usda.gov.

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's Federal Wage System Qualifications Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note on Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed.

This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time.

Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to perform the duties of the position rather than length of experience.

Eligibility will be determined by relevance, scope, and quality of overall experience and training, regardless of where or how acquired.

Applicants will be ranked and rated based on their knowledge of the job elements identified below: Screen-out Job Element: Applicants must show the Ability to do the Work of the Position Without More than Normal Supervision.

Applicants who do not meet the screen-out job elements will not be further evaluated.

In addition to the above requirements, applicants will be ranked and rated based on their knowledge of the job elements identified below: Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic) Use of Measuring Instruments Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc.

(other than blueprints) Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Knowledge of Materials Dexterity and Safety To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Major Duties:

• Packs on horses or mules; trail crews and equipment such as food, tents, and various tools such as crosscut saws, chainsaws, rock drills, rock bars, explosives, grip hoists, wheelbarrows and sleds.
• Packs construction materials such as poles, cables, lumber, sand, gravel and bridge materials.
• Arranges animals and pack loads in the proper order when putting a string of animals together. Builds balanced loads using pack bags, slings, boxes, manty loads with sling ropes, pack racks, etc.
• Ties multiple types of hitches using sawbuck, decker, and Salmon River saddles.
• Properly fits all types of riding saddles, pack saddles, and work harnesses to mules and horses.
• Pulls up to 24 foot gooseneck stock trailer and bumper-pull stock trailers to safely haul up to 8 head of stock on rugged mountain roads.
• Acts as “Wilderness First Responder” for the animals, providing first aid as needed including administering shots and wound care.
• Must be able to dispatch a horse or mule if necessary; safe use of restraints for doctoring, shoeing, training, or containment purposes.
• Responsible for ranch and pasture management including the design, building, maintenance, and safety inspections of stock facilities.
• Trains firefighters, trail crews, wilderness rangers, and volunteer groups how to work safely around pack stock.